Panthers place three on West Region team

ORANGE, Calif. - Three Chapman University baseball players have been named to the All-West Region team, as selected by the American Baseball Coaches Assocation (ABCA). Sophomore OF/P John Semel, who was named to the first team, headlines the Panthers' honorees. Chapman head coach Tom Tereschuk was also named West Region Coach of the Year for the fifth straight year and sixth time overall.

Senior IF Tristan Phillips and senior RHP Wayde Kitchens were also named to the ABCA All-West Region second and third teams, respectively.

Semel led Chapman in nine offensive categories, including home runs (12), slugging (.693) and on-base percentages (.483) and set a school record with 24 stolen bases. He batted .415 with 13 doubles and 68 runs scored, as well. On the mound, the sophomore ranked among the nation's leaders with nine saves and had a 2.61 ERA in 20 relief appearances. The selection is the first of his career.

Meanwhile, Phillips was just as good as Semel offensively. The senior batted .416 with a team-high 64 RBI and added eight home runs and 17 doubles. The two became the first Chapman teammates to hit over .400 in the same season and Phillips' RBI total is the most for a Panther since 1999.

Staff ace Kitchens was named to the third team, despite missing the final six weeks of the regular season due to injury. The senior right-hander still managed to go 6-1 with a 2.19 ERA and lead the Panthers with 71 strikeouts in 61.2 innings. He tossed three complete games and opponents batted just .202 against him. Kitchens is Chapman's career leader in strikeouts with 294 and is a three-time All-Region selection.

Tereschuk guided the Panthers to their fifth consecutive West Region title in 2009 and a third place finish at the Division III championships. Chapman went 32-17 overall. Additionally, Tereschuk became just the second coach in Chapman history to win 250 games in his career. At 251-79 is just seven win shy of the school record.